No sign of missing swimmer as search is called off again

Published: Tuesday, July 16, 2013 at 12:32 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, July 16, 2013 at 12:32 p.m.

Rescue workers have decided to call off the search for a missing swimmer after two days of combing the Horsepasture River near Turtleback Falls.

The 36-year-old man may have drowned while swimming with three friends at Turtleback Falls Monday afternoon. Lake Toxaway Fire Rescue Chief Bobby Cooper said the man jumped off a rock directly across from Turtleback Falls into a popular swimming hole.

“People with him said this was the first time he jumped in. He came up twice and appeared to be in distress, but then they never saw him again,” Cooper said.

Emergency personnel were called at about 12:45 p.m. and searched Monday until dark. The search resumed Tuesday morning, ending at about 7:30 p.m.

Cooper says they have set up catch fences down stream and plan to check the fences and the swimming hole where he went under multiple times over the next few days. One catch fence was installed at Adams Cove, about a half-mile downstream from nearby Rainbow Falls. Another catch fence was set up about 1.5 miles down river near a bridge.

The higher water level and currents in the swimming hole have proved troublesome for rescue workers, although the level has dropped about a foot since the search began Monday afternoon. If water levels continue to recede, rescue workers may resume water searches this weekend.

“Hopefully the water will keep going down,” Cooper said.

The forecast for the area shows a chance of isolated thunderstorms over the next few days, along with a 40 percent chance of rain Wednesday and 30 percent chances of rain through the rest of the week.

Search and rescue crews set up an incident command post at the work center at Gorges State Park, according to Stevin Westcott, spokesman for the U.S. Forest Service in Asheville. Crews searched the water from that point back to the swimming hole. Rainbow Falls sits between the two search points.

Swift-water rescue technicians have searched the swimming hole and up and down the river, and a N.C. Highway Patrol helicopter pilot flew over the water. Dive teams, nets and underwater cameras were used in the search, which Westcott said was affected by the water levels.

“The river is up probably about 4-5 feet right now,” Cooper said Tuesday morning. “It’s very turbulent in the water below the falls. The current does some strange things in that hole.”

The river makes a 90-degree turn coming over the falls into the pool where the man landed. The current then twists back around into almost a whirlpool effect.

“We encouraging people to stay away from waterfalls, especially now. The water flows are too heavy,” Westcott said.

The recent heavy rains may have also flooded local creeks, rivers and streams with more debris, which can hit people swimming below the falls or collect in the bottom of pools beneath the falls, posing a risk to those who dive.

Westcott added that there have “been a number of water-related incidents” lately tied to recent intense rains and increased water flows.

Although the mission to find the missing swimmer is still considered to be a search and rescue, investigators are growing less optimistic they will find him alive.

Turtleback Falls is in Pisgah National Forest in Transylvania County and borders Gorges State Park.

The U.S. Forest Service is investigating, and nine agencies from Transylvania, Henderson and Jackson counties have assisted in the search.

<p>Rescue workers have decided to call off the search for a missing swimmer after two days of combing the Horsepasture River near Turtleback Falls.</p><p>The 36-year-old man may have drowned while swimming with three friends at Turtleback Falls Monday afternoon. Lake Toxaway Fire Rescue Chief Bobby Cooper said the man jumped off a rock directly across from Turtleback Falls into a popular swimming hole.</p><p>“People with him said this was the first time he jumped in. He came up twice and appeared to be in distress, but then they never saw him again,” Cooper said.</p><p>Emergency personnel were called at about 12:45 p.m. and searched Monday until dark. The search resumed Tuesday morning, ending at about 7:30 p.m. </p><p>Cooper says they have set up catch fences down stream and plan to check the fences and the swimming hole where he went under multiple times over the next few days. One catch fence was installed at Adams Cove, about a half-mile downstream from nearby Rainbow Falls. Another catch fence was set up about 1.5 miles down river near a bridge.</p><p>The higher water level and currents in the swimming hole have proved troublesome for rescue workers, although the level has dropped about a foot since the search began Monday afternoon. If water levels continue to recede, rescue workers may resume water searches this weekend. </p><p>“Hopefully the water will keep going down,” Cooper said.</p><p>The forecast for the area shows a chance of isolated thunderstorms over the next few days, along with a 40 percent chance of rain Wednesday and 30 percent chances of rain through the rest of the week.</p><p>Search and rescue crews set up an incident command post at the work center at Gorges State Park, according to Stevin Westcott, spokesman for the U.S. Forest Service in Asheville. Crews searched the water from that point back to the swimming hole. Rainbow Falls sits between the two search points.</p><p>Swift-water rescue technicians have searched the swimming hole and up and down the river, and a N.C. Highway Patrol helicopter pilot flew over the water. Dive teams, nets and underwater cameras were used in the search, which Westcott said was affected by the water levels.</p><p>“The river is up probably about 4-5 feet right now,” Cooper said Tuesday morning. “It's very turbulent in the water below the falls. The current does some strange things in that hole.”</p><p>The river makes a 90-degree turn coming over the falls into the pool where the man landed. The current then twists back around into almost a whirlpool effect.</p><p>“We encouraging people to stay away from waterfalls, especially now. The water flows are too heavy,” Westcott said.</p><p>The recent heavy rains may have also flooded local creeks, rivers and streams with more debris, which can hit people swimming below the falls or collect in the bottom of pools beneath the falls, posing a risk to those who dive.</p><p>Westcott added that there have “been a number of water-related incidents” lately tied to recent intense rains and increased water flows.</p><p>Although the mission to find the missing swimmer is still considered to be a search and rescue, investigators are growing less optimistic they will find him alive.</p><p>Turtleback Falls is in Pisgah National Forest in Transylvania County and borders Gorges State Park.</p><p>The U.S. Forest Service is investigating, and nine agencies from Transylvania, Henderson and Jackson counties have assisted in the search.</p><p>Reach Weaver at emily.weaver@blueridgenow.com or 828-694-7867.</p>